Israel Sea of Galilee at sunrise panoramic view from moshav Ramot (Golan heights)
Good morning, beloved,
He IS RISEN!! He is Risen INDEED!
I have to get something off my chest. I have heard it said in songs and such…If I was the only person on the planet, Christ would still have come and died for me. I’ve heard it on klove. I’ve heard it on WBGL. I must tell you, my dears, if you belt out this song, if you read along and nod vigorously and weep with gracious tears, you are missing the point of the immense gravity of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
Sunrise over the Jordan at Oasis Beach
From of sin’s inception in the world, God’s plan for Jesus was set in motion: Jesus’ mission to carry the punishment of sin upon His shoulders. All of the sin. From the first couple until the end of time…sin was on His shoulders as He hung on that cross for three hours…God longs to dwell among His beloved so much He sent His beloved Son to be brutalized for all people. Not just one. God longs for relationship with all people. He knows how many hairs are on each of our heads. Not just my head. He knows my thoughts. Your thoughts.
Yet not just that He hung on that cross, friends. We can’t just stay in that…the power of the cross isn’t that He stayed in the tomb but that He rose again! I bring up that line in the song because sometimes we get “fixated” on things that are not Scriptural but sound good. Always come back to the Word of God. Is it consistent with Scripture? (if you are not sure, feel free to email me and I’d be happy to try to help you if I can or type it into biblegateway.com or blb.org)
Now to the power of the Resurrection!
This next song is for my Danny…he loves Matt Maher. We sang this at Willow Creek last year at Easter. And I just watched Danny’s eyes light up as they began to sing. And he belted this out! (uncommon…)
Romans 5
6While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.
7Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.
8But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.
9Therefore, since we are now justified ([f]acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.
10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [[g]resurrection] life.
11Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation.
Oh, friends, I found this amazing website with stunning photographs of Israel and may I suggest we finish our time together with looking at this site? Happy Day! He has washed our sins away! We are free!!
2 Comments
I’m with Danny. This song always moves me! What power in the truth!
I agree! People were turning around and staring at us. LOL